1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to furniture construction, and in particular, it relates to furniture construction that includes flexible plastic webbing for a support surface.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many items of furniture, particularly chairs, have extending sections of flexible webbing extending in between opposing frame elements of a frame for providing a support surface. This type of construction provides a yieldable support surface which is attractive and may be readily cleaned. A great problem, however, in connection with such webbing is that of securing the webbing to the frame members in a quick and inexpensive manner. In addition, it is very desirable that the webbing not slip with respect to the frame and remain as a taut supporting surface. The use of rivets, screws, or other similar fastening devices is undesirable since the fastening devices typically create holes in the webbing which enlarge and eventually tear the webbing.
There are also other arrangements which secure a webbing to a frame without the use of fastening devices which require holes in the webbing. One such arrangement is shown in the Dubinsky Pat. No. 3,590,901. In the Dubinsky Patent, a webbing is first strung on a temporary jig and then removed and applied over the frame of the chair. This method of attaching webbing to a chair is rather complicated. Another arrangement is illustrated in the Bottemiller Pat. No. 3,771,583, which is assigned to the same assignee as the present invention. In this arrangement, plastic webbing is heated so that the webbing will stretch and then wound around spaced-apart opposing frame members so that the ends of the webbing are doubled back so as to be overlapping and hence secured thereto. Upon cooling, the webbing will return to its original length placing the webbing in a taut position between the frame members.